British travellers waste more than £18 million each year buying foreign
currency from the airport, according to new research, despite being
regularly advised not to do so.

With the value of sterling falling against the euro in recent months, getting value for money has rarely been more important. But the Post Office claims that 1.65 million Britons still use airport bureaux de change, where they face poor exchange rates and hefty commission charges on low value transactions.

And earlier this year Which? Travel, the consumer magazine, also urged holidaymakers to avoid buying their foreign currency at the airport if they want to secure the best deal.

But it would appear that the lure of convenient airport bureaux remains hard to resist.

The Post Office's study found that those holidaymakers who do use them would save an average of £10.57 per trip if buying euros, and £10 when purchasing US dollars. For less popular currencies the average saving is even higher - £19.50 on the Canadian dollar, £16.43 on the Australian dollar, £12.56 on the Swiss franc, and £13.10 on the UAE dirham.

The poorest deals are to be found at airports away from the capital, according to the research. Birmingham Airport offered the worst rates for seven of the 11 currencies surveyed, with Liverpool and Newcastle airports also faring badly. The average holidaymaker buying US dollars at Birmingham, for example, can expect to squander £19.98 – almost double the national average.

“The numbers of holidaymakers who wait until they get to the airport to change pounds into travel cash has remained steady in recent years - despite warnings about the poor rate they will be offered,” said Andrew Brown of the Post Office.

Which? Travel advises travellers who do want to pick up cash before leaving the country to go online, where currency can be bought for delivery to their home, or collection at the airport.

“By ordering currency online, you can secure the best exchange rates, for home delivery, or collection at the very airport bureau de change that offer such a poor deal to 'walk up' customers,” said a spokesman. “Travelex and American Express only require four hours' notice for advance online ordering, so it's possible to cut things fine and still get a good deal.”